Cannes Lions 2026: India secures 9 spots across 12 categories in third set of shortlists

India has secured nine shortlists across the 12 categories announced today for Cannes Lions 2026. Film Craft emerged as the strongest category for India with three shortlists, followed by 2 shortlists each in Design, Direct and Media categories.

Among agencies, Ogilvy India and VML India secured two shortlists each, followed by 1 shortlist each for 22Feet Mumbai, TBWA/Lintas, Zigzag Films/TALENTED.AGENCY, 82.5 Mumbai and Mindshare India.

The categories unveiled today were Design, Digital Craft, Film Craft, Industry Craft, Direct, Media, PR, Social & Creator, Entertainment, Entertainment Lions for Gaming, Entertainment Lions for Music, and Entertainment Lions for Sport.

Design: 2 Shortlists
India secured 2 shortlists in Design Lions.

The Art of Survival for Godawan by 22Feet, Mumbai / Butterfly Cannon, London was shortlisted in Design: Packaging Design.

The Slooowest Vending Machine In The Word for Kitkat by VML, Gurgaon, was shortlisted in Design: Brand Environment and Experience Design.

Film Craft: 3 Shortlists
India secured 3 shortlists in Film Craft.

Don’t Look Up for Steadfast by TBWA/Lintas, Mumbai was shortlisted in Film Craft: Script category.

Renu Vs The City for St. Jude India Childcare Centres by Ogilvy, Mumbai was shortlisted in Film Craft: Casting category.

Jeere Mein Heera for Coca-Cola by Zigzag Films, Mumbai/ TALENTED.AGENCY, Bangalore was shortlisted in Film Craft: Use of Licensed/Adapted Music category.

Direct: 2 Shortlists
India got 2 shortlists in Direct category at Cannes Lions 2026.

Blinkstop by 82.5 Mumbai was shortlisted in Direct: Experience Design category.

The Kolhapuri for Kalapuri by VML India, Mumbai, was shortlisted in Direct: Cultural Engagement category.

Media: 2 Shortlists
India bagged 2 shortlists in Media Lions.

Vim Ka Mahakadhai Record for Vim by Mindshare India, Mumbai, was shortlisted in Media: Single-Market Campaign category.

Box to Beds for Amazon by Ogilvy, Mumbai, was shortlisted in Media: Social Behaviour category.

India did not secure any shortlists in Digital Craft, Industry Craft, PR, Social & Creator, Entertainment, Entertainment Lions for Music, Entertainment Lions for Gaming and Entertainment Lions for Sport categorties.

The tally marks a sharp drop from 2025, when India had secured 41 shortlists across the same set of categories, led by the Media category with 9 shortlists, followed by PR with 7 shortlists.

How India Fared In These Categories In 2025
Category

Shortlists (2025)

Design

5

Digital Craft

0

Film Craft

3

Industry Craft

1

Direct

5

Media

9

PR

7

Social & Creator

3

Entertainment

0

Entertainment Lions for Gaming

2

Entertainment Lions for Music

3

Entertainment Lions for Sport

3

Total

41

Earlier, the festival unveiled the shortlists for 10 categories. India didn’t secure any spot in the first set of shortlists spanning Dan Wieden Titanium Lions, Glass: The Lion for Change and Innovation Lions. In the second set, it secured eight shortlists in five of seven categories, namely Health & Wellness, Audio & Radio, Creative Brand, Print & Publishing, and Pharma. India didn’t make the cut in Outdoor and Creative B2B Categories.

Till now, India has secured 17 shortlists at Cannes Lions 2026.

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2026 will take place from June 22 to June 26, with winners announced across the week.